All Saints West Ilsley is sits at the bottom of the Ridgeway on the Berkshire Downs the name of the village comes from Hilde-Laege which means "Place of conflict" (the battle of Ashdown took place in the area). The church does seem to date back to at least the 1600 but no detail of anything older remains and other than that I cannot find much history on the church. I went past it a year or so ago when I went to visit a church at Catmore and over Christmas went along for a visit.
The first view you get of the church is from the Lychgate where you walk through to pass the war memorial
The South side is quite plain with fir trees shading the churchyard beside it
The east end of the church with the chancel window
Above the West end with the bell and looking around to the North side and the entrance porch
Above a view to the porch on the North side and left the South side
The Churchyard on the North side looking over to the family Vault of the Moorland Family
The leaf covered churchyard on the South side
It has many older graves in and the odd tomb. The churchyard extends further South along a narrow strip
The craftsmanship on this anchor and chain I thought was a tribute to the guy's work
Above simple wrought iron grave markers, not seen any like this before. On the left if you carry on up up the churchyard you come to the new extension with the more recent burials in
Looking back along the strip of the South Churchyard
On the way back I noticed this wonderful old cast iron one
Along with three very similar crosses nearby
On the left a wrought iron grave marker and right the grave of Aircraftman L Revell R.A.F who was only 20 when he died in 1944
Fenced off vault
Above another nice cast iron memorial while on the left is the Morland Vault. The Morland's owned the Brewery in Abingdon
View of the church from a memorial in the churchyard
The rose covered porch and the entrance door inside
When I first got to the church it was locked and I nearly left disappointed but phoned the Church Warden on the off chance he could let me in and I'm glad to say he live nearby and opened the door for me and switched on the lights. View along the nave to the chancel
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With very nice rood screen and rood cross ontop
The chancel
Chancel window
The altar which has a curtained screen around it flanked by a couple of decorated posts with angles on top
The Advent candles were sat in the chancel from Christmas and a beautiful floral display off to one side by the vestry door
Above one of the angels on top of the decorated posts. One the left a commemoration plaque to the laying of a Dedication stone by Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
Looking towards the nave
Above the organ neatly tucked away to one side of the chancel. On the left a memorial to Marianne Morland
Window dedication for the stained glass window above to the Morland family
Memorial to William & Marianne Morland
Above memorial to John Head and his wife Frances Elizabeth while to the right is a memorial to Margaret Gale
Memorial to John Lewendon and his wife Sarah
Memorial to Edwin Huzzey a former Churchwarden
I tend to look out for dates carved in the roof joists and found one dated 1652. The one on the right dated 1990 came about due to a tree which was owned by the Queen falling on the church necessitating repairs. At the time she owned the manor and horse racing stables nearby
Above the Morland Window which was placed there by Mr & Mrs William Henry Morland in memory of their family who have lived in the village for 200 years
Another stained glass window and one with just plain glass in
The Morland window again where I tried to show the reflected light
Above a view of the nave form the pulpit here on the right
The font and its floral display in front of it
Above the church Christmas which is in the North aisle and I forgot to get a photo of, while over on the left is one of the nicest wood carvings of a nativity scene I have come across
Holly around a red candle on one of the windowsills
That is it from all Saints West Ilsley hope you enjoyed the little tour around, I may well drop in again to get a few photos I missed and add them to the blog but
I will leave you with this view of the chancel from beside the advent candles.
Do have a peaceful weekend
4 comments:
The style look familiar but the ones in Australia would be in sandstone or brick.
As always, an excellent and extensive report. The cancel window (and the ohers stained glass windows)is nice.
Ahh . We always leave images to take ... :))
Bill, once again I love the gateway to this gem. The stone with the anchor and chain is wonderful. Such a great post, thanls.
Hello, Bill!
Fantastic relationship, interesting and beautiful pictures.
Greetings.
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